Lady Rowena leaned toward me, her gaze sharp and assessing. "You know, Isabella, I've noticed something about my son since your marriage." She sipped her tea delicately. "He's become insufferably protective. Even more than before."
I smoothed my hands over my growing belly. "He has his reasons."
"Oh, I'm well aware." Her lips curved into a knowing smile. "But you must be suffocating under all that attention. Alaric was always possessive of what he considered his."
The casual way she referred to me as one of Alaric's possessions stirred a flicker of irritation, but I kept my expression neutral. I'd learned that Lady Rowena often tested boundaries to gauge reactions.
"His concern comes from love," I replied simply. "Though I admit, his insistence on having guards follow me everywhere is becoming... challenging."
